God of War - (PC) Steam EUROPE Digital Key
God of War for PC was teased for months, from about halfway through 2021 until
the developers finally put players out of their misery and confirmed the PC
release in January 2022! It is the PC-friendly version of the 2018 Gods of War,
which was initially only available on PlayStation. The game allows PC gamers to
enjoy the intense Norse God action-adventure game.
The game is the eighth in the whole cross-platform series and takes place
against a background that while not really being open world and more a series of
linked locations, is still wide and explorable within those locations. You
seldom feel constrained despite the linear game progression.
About the Game
The game’s plot plays out against the background of Norse gods in this
iteration, rather than the Ancient Greece of the original games, and it is
loosely set in Medieval Scandinavia in the realm of Midgard, which is the Norse
equivalent of the lands inhabited by the earliest humans when the world was
young.
There are two protagonists in the game, one of whom is playable. Kratos – a
former Greek God of War and only playable character – is accompanied by his
young son, Atreus, who looks to be anywhere between eight years old and twelve
or so. The two of them are on an honour quest, to dispose of Faye’s (Atreus’s
mother) ashes according to her deathbed wish, to have her remains scattered on
the highest peak of the nine realms.
Of course, there would be no story if everything went smoothly, and so, their
quest is disrupted by monsters and gods who have other ideas about who should be
able to dispose of their earthly remains on the sacred peak. The monsters start
off large and scary and steadily get larger and scarier, giving you plenty of
scope to improve your skills and then try them out. The combat is wonderful:
bloody, brutal and – thanks to the physics engine – satisfying!
Almost equally satisfying and rare in a game better known for skull-shattering
crunches and broken bones, is the arc between Kratos and Atreus. When they set
off, they are almost strangers to each other, both feeling that the other
expects more of them than they give. This arc progresses along with the game,
ending with a much closer, more respectful and loving relationship between the
two. And all without impacting the joyous blood-shed!
The Nitty Gritty
Take a moment before you play, to customise your PC settings to suit your CPU to
get the best possible results. You will think it well worth the time, when you
see the beautiful scenery that makes even the quiet parts a wonderful
experience. During the action sequences you will be too busy to notice your
surroundings unless it offers a handy cave to hide in, or rock to shelter behind
while you catch your breath!
Gameplay is equally fluid with either a PlayStation controller (PS4 or PS5 are
recommended) or a gaming keyboard and mouse, depending on your set-up and
preferences. To celebrate the PC release, Sony gave out some extra content, a
number of new skins and even some free armour for you to try on for size.
Do enjoy the game: the original version won multiple (around 190!) Best Game
awards, and for good reason. The action is ‘filmed’ in a continuous shot, the
focus of which is always Kratos and his son, making it immediately immersive.
The filming style isn’t kitschy or artsy though, it all flows seamlessly,
leaving you breathless as you closely accompany your hero.
Atreus is AI at its best, interacting almost naturally, but also obediently
following instructions and enabling you to double your strike rate and power if
you time your actions with his – something that the pros make look easy to do!
Take your time exploring the worlds and learning about the mythology and hidden
secrets of the world, or gallop through to finish quickly and then return to
cover the bits you missed. There are at least 20 hours or so of content that is
not directly related to the game, just waiting to be enjoyed when you explore
the beautifully rendered world to its limits.
What Weapons are There?
The game has used the Norse myths to come up with some fabulous weapons for
Kratos and Atreus to try out:
The Leviathan Axe: Kratos’s axe is something like Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir, in
that it returns when summoned. Time your throws neatly, so you can get two
enemies for the price of one – one on the way out, and the other on the way back
to you. The Leviathan Axe can be powered up, so keep checking for boosters
AI Archery: Atreus’s bow and arrow is always with him, and comes in handy as he
accompanies you on your battles, taking out enemies while you are otherwise
occupied
Hand combat: Kratos’s ‘Rage of the Gods’ mode gives him a super pummel power
that takes a simple punch (albeit already a hugely powerful one) into another
dimension
Retractable Shield: Kratos’s gauntlet holds a sneaky secret. The full size
shield pops out and staves off arrows, unwary fists, and spears – as long as you
deploy it in time, that is!
Runic Wolf Spirit Atta
